SR. HELENA'S MEDIA LITERACY BLOG: LOS ANGELES YOUTH CONGRESS SOCIAL MEDIA WORKSHOP

This weekend I was in Los Angeles at a rather large Youth Congress #LAYouthDay where I gave two talks on being "Digital Catholics" (my topic was "social media" and that's the title we came up with). Here's the gist of my talk and what I learned from the teens (high school age) when they did small group work and presented back to the assembly.

HOW CAN WE USE MEDIA IN A WAY THAT'S MORE HUMAN RATHER THAN LESS HUMAN?

We didn't always live in a digital world. In fact, it's only recently that we do! My generation, Gen X, is the last to have grown up without cellphones, personal computers, internet and NETFLIX. But then, while we were young adults, we had access to all these things.

We are the last generation that can COMPARE what it's like to live with and without these amazing media tools, so it's also a kind of responsibility we have. As great as this technology is, it's not ESSENTIAL to being human. Technology doesn't make us human, how we use it does. Love makes us human.

Some sociologists put the beginning of Gen Z at 1995. Gen Z or iGen has an advantage in that they are very familiar with technologies and are proficient at them.

It seems no one is saying too much about Gen Z, even though they are coming of age now. All the focus has been on the Millennials. But Millennials are getting OLD! They just turned 30!

Maclean's Magazine (a Canadian news mag) devoted an issue to Gen Z, saying that Gen Z are industrious, connected, generous, collaborative, sophisticated and want to make the world a better place.

WHAT SOCIAL MEDIA DO YOU USE THE MOST?

(I asked them to raise their hands when I named each one.)

--Facebook....not really! They made negative sounds and only a few raised their hands!
--Twitter...yes! (I think reports of Twitter's demise are premature) Actually, we had 2 hashtags for our conference and they TRENDED FOR 3 HRS in the USA: #LACongress and #TalkJesusWithMe because the kids were using them so much.....

--Pinterest...girls mostly
--Instagram...yup!
--YouTube...yes!
--Snapchat....cheers!
--Skype...they love it
--Vine...yes
--podcasts....yes
--they're not on Whisper or Tinder (more for college age)
--Spotify is how they get their music (they don't like iTunes 'cause not free)
--only the geekiest were on Google+ (a handful)

I find that because I'm not their parents? They'll tell me anything I want to know.
I also learned what "SUBTWEETING" is. It's when you start cyberbullying someone (talking trash about them) but you never "mention" them by name (or Twitter handle) on Twitter, but everyone knows who it is and eventually you figure out it's you....

WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO LIVE IN A DIGITAL WORLD?

We watch a bunch of fun Vines/videos that illustrate the positives of living in a digital world.

They fill in the blanks after each video: "Living in a digital world means: ____________."

But there's a DOWNSIDE / DARKSIDE to living in a digital world, isn't there? (They nod vigorously.) When I ask what are some of the negatives, CYBERBULLYING and STALKING and FALSE INFORMATION are their biggies.

I read a piece from Pope Francis' address for World Communications Day, 2015:

"In a world where people often curse, use foul language, speak badly of others, sow discord and poison our human environment by gossip, [WE NEED TO MAKE] communication a blessing."

We then watch/look at some more graphics that are negatives about the digital world.

Then I read a list and ask them to do a thumbs up or thumbs down about the one person who did all these things. Were they being a good human being? A good digital Catholic?

After the list I reveal that that person was SR. HELENA who messed up. (AUDIBLE GASPS)

Yes! Media is the "stuff of our lives" and we're spending so much time there now, we have online lives, we are not perfect, we make mistakes, we hurt people. I tell them that I went to CONFESSION about all these things and they should, too, when they mess up with media, and hopefully not do it again. We must also APOLOGIZE and PUBLICLY RETRACT.

THE CAR IS A POWERFUL INSTRUMENT. SO IS MEDIA.

We talk about who has their driver's permit, is in driver's ed and why their parents didn't just throw the car keys at them and tell them to figure it out for themselves. We need to develop media skills just like we need to develop driving skills. Media skills are not just knowing how to use the technology, but knowing how to use it well as a human being, as a Catholic. "With great power comes great __________."

ARE MEDIA REALITY?

We then discuss whether or not media is "reality" or not, concluding that all media is "virtual reality." Virtual means "real in appearances and effects."

WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN ACTUAL REALITY & VIRTUAL REALITY?

The measure is always the body. Is the FULL gift of the bodily presence there or only a PART?

(This is where "Theology of the Body" comes in.)

BODIES ARE NOT OPTIONAL. "In person" is the best form of communication whenever possible (but it's great that we have media to extend at least part of our the gift of our bodily presence in time and space whenever needed). Certain things need to be communicated in person even when inconvenient or uncomfortable.

Human beings need physical contact, eye contact, touch, facial expressions, body language, reading emotions, and people STARVE without this.

The people who are in our presence with their FULL BODILY PRESENCE have priority over those we can communicate with at a distance on our devices (as well as checking weather, playing games and following sports--even hockey).

I ask them if they think we have kind of "lost the art of conversation" because our attention spans are so short now and just when you get a good conversation going in person, someone interrupts it by turning to their device.

"The great challenge facing us today is to learn once again how to talk to one another, not simply how to generate and consume information." --Pope Francis

WHAT ARE THE 3 SACRED PLACES/TIMES WE DON'T NEED SCREENS?

--Mass / liturgy
--Table (family meals, meals with friends)
--Married couples' bedrooms
(If they guess "bathroom," I tell 'em NO. That's one of the best & only places we can have some peace and quiet. It's a great place to use media.)

What if we are expecting and important phone call or text in/during these sacred places/times?
Your family/friends will think your crazy, but do it anyway. Maybe it will catch on!

1. Excuse yourself 2. Leave the place out of respect for the persons present 3. Take care of business 4. Return

If you can, HAVE THAT CONVERSATION about our "media use together" with family & friends. It can be hard--especially if people are obsessed/addicted to their devices, or don't see a problem. If you can't have that conversation. Just keep setting a good example and using media well yourself.

There's a time and place for everything:

1. QUESTION Media--Remember the "Question Authority" bumper stickers? Have you ever thought of the media as an "authority" in your life, that sets itself up to tell you what to watch, think about, buy, what's cool, what's newsworthy, what to think about? Well, we should question that. But we need to also question THE WAY WE CHOOSE TO USE MEDIA. We are not victims. We are free. We can change, tweak, modify, perfect our use of media. We don't have to use media the way any one else does. We can use it optimally.

2. EVALUATE Media

3. CHOOSE How You Use Media

4. ENGAGE with Media & the Media Culture (also to make it better)

____________

We then briefly cover PORN & SEXTING.

Good communication leads to community which leads to communion.

We then talk about the importance of silence (which is a part of communication) and unplugging (without necessarily being still), and prayer. Silence helps us hear our own thoughts, process, synthesize, remember, be at peace.

We talk about resources to grow in faith and that maybe we SHOULDN'T give up social media for Lent, because we can do the SPIRITUAL WORKS OF MERCY online.

We talk about TROLLS and how some Catholics and Christians can be the nastiest trolls of all! We don't need to "defend God" online (He can take care of Himself). We need to defend human dignity online.

The Canadian government has an "interactive" YouTube where you type negative or positive words and watch the young woman react to them.

Studies have shown that people (young and old) WILL do and say things online that they would NEVER do in person. So, the Golden Rule applies and negatively: